How To Avoid Injury In The Workshop

Published Wednesday 22nd March 2017

Woodworking is an exciting and addictive profession – when you’re good, you simply can’t stop. Although it’s a lot of fun, you need to be aware of the dangers that come with such a manual job. Here are some tips that will help you avoid injury and enjoy the job (or hobby) you love.

This is not a comprehensive guide – please make sure you fully prepare and protect yourself before beginning a woodworking project.

Know your limits

If you work long days or have a tendency of feeling fatigued, it’s in your best interest to not partake in any woodworking exercises. Tiredness is a massive threat to your safety when you’re in the workshop, and it will influence your ability to make good decisions.

It’s important to know and understand your body – if you don’t feel 100% alert, you should avoid doing anything that involves woodwork tools.

Pay attention

It may sound like obvious advice, but the majority of woodworking accidents occur when someone isn’t paying attention. You’re constantly in control of sharp, heavy and dangerous tools – by staying focused and alert, you’ll drastically reduce the chances of having an accident and be able to enjoy your project.

Maintenance is key

If you’re excessively using your tools, they’ll go blunt and become worn – when this happens it’s important to give them some TLC to ensure they’re up to industry-standard and work effortlessly for you. Think about it – if a tool is blunt, you’ll be using more force to effectively use it, and as such you’ll have less control over it. That’s when accidents occur. Keep your tools in good shape and you won’t have a problem.

Follow basic woodworking rules

When woodworking, there are some basic guidelines that you should follow to ensure your safety is a priority. These include:

Keep your loose hair or clothing away from any machine your using, particularly if it spins

Keep your fingers a safe distance away from blades

Avoid breathing in dust particles

If you’re using chemicals, make sure you handle them carefully and are wearing protective gear

Every tool you use will have a guide to using it, so make sure you read those rules and follow them as directed.

Come protected

Ever heard of Murphy’ Law? It suggests that the one instance in which you decide not to put on safety goggles, is the moment something flies up and hits you in the face. It’s entirely unfounded, but we wouldn’t suggest taking that risk.

Every device and tool that you buy will come with protection both for the machine and for you. If you don’t utilise these and adhere to the protective guidelines, you’ll be putting yourself in danger of getting injured.

Head gear, protective gloves, protective goggles, blade guards – the list of safety devices open to you is endless, and they won’t help you if you don’t use them.

Be confident, but don’t overdo it

It’s great to feel confident when you’re doing something that you love, however overconfidence can be detrimental. Don’t consider yourself invincible – you’re working with dangerous tools and it’s important to keep that in mind.

What are your thoughts?

Do you have any advice that you’d like to share? If so, send us a tweet and share the knowledge. If you need to stock up on your woodworking supplies, contact us today and find out how we can help.

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